Creating and keeping good-paying jobs in western Pennsylvania has always been one of Congressman Altmire’s top priorities. With our country in the midst of its most severe recession since the Great Depression, Congressman Altmire voted for the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to create good-paying jobs and get our economy moving again.

This forward-looking economic recovery package will cut taxes for 95 percent of working families and save or create 3.5 million American jobs over the next two years, including 143,000 jobs in Pennsylvania. It also invests in initiatives that are crucial to our nation’s long-term economic growth: rebuilding our crumbling roads and bridges, improving our local schools, and ensuring our local governments can meet public safety and other needs.
 
Our current financial crisis did not develop overnight, and it will not be solved overnight. However, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is a critical first step that will help get our nation’s economy back on track.

Tax Cuts for Working Families and Small Businesses

To get our economy moving again, we need to put more money in the hands of American taxpayers. That is why the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act provides 95 percent of working families with an immediate tax cut of $400 for individuals and $800 for couples. Social Security beneficiaries, SSI recipients and disabled veterans will receive $250 to help meet their everyday needs.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will provide an additional tax cut to 972,000 Pennsylvania families by ensuring that they are not hit with the Alternative Minimum Tax in 2009.

Small businesses will benefit from $75 million in business tax incentives included in this legislation, including extended Bonus Depreciation and Small Business Expensing through 2009. This will allow businesses that make capital investments to immediately deduct one-half the cost.

Rebuilding our crumbling roads and bridges

Western Pennsylvania has more bridges in critical need of repair than any other region in the country. To ensure our region’s economy can continue to grow and to keep our families safe, we must rebuild our crumbling roads and bridges, as well as our locks and dams.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will provide Pennsylvania with more than $1.5 billion to improve our infrastructure, including more than $1 billion to repair our highways and bridges and $343 million to improve mass transit. Not only will this money help to provide Pennsylvania with the 21st Century infrastructure it needs, it will also create good-paying jobs for local workers.

More than $43 Million for western Pennsylvania school districts

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will provide schools in the Fourth Congressional District with more than $43 million. This will help our local schools keep good teachers in the classroom and provide our children with the first-rate education they deserve. For more information, see Western Pennsylvania Schools Will Receive More Than $43 Million in Economic Recovery Package ).

Specifically, this legislation provides immediate relief to our schools by increasing Title I and IDEA funding over the next two years to help low-income students and students with disabilities. How much funding each school district will receive is determined by pre-existing education funding formulas. You can see how much your school district will receive by clicking here . 

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will also aid families struggling to pay for college, which will help to sustain enrollments and protect jobs at local colleges and universities. Pell Grant scholarships -- which currently benefit 244,000 students in Pennsylvania -- will rise by $500 over the next two years, to a maximum amount of $5,350 for the 2009-2010 school year and $5,550 for the 2010-2011 school year. Additionally, 138,000 Pennsylvania families will benefit from a $2,500 college tuition tax credit for 2009 and 2010.

Aiding cash-strapped police departments

In the midst of this recession, our first responders are also struggling to make ends meet. State and local law enforcement agencies across the country are facing budget cuts that could make it harder for them to protect our communities.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will provide local law enforcement with additional resources so they can keep our families safe and prevent an increase in crime that could lead to declining property values, business closings, and job losses.

Pennsylvania will receive more than $73 million through the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program to support local law enforcement efforts (see Western Pennsylvania Law Enforcement Set to Receive Funding from Economic Recovery Package for more details).

Pennsylvania law enforcement will also be able to apply for additional, competitively-awarded grant funding from the COPS program, which is receiving $1 billion to help departments nationwide improve their community policing and crime prevention efforts. Pennsylvania will also receive $1 million in Internet Crimes Against Children Grants to help law enforcement agencies investigate offenders who use the Internet, online communication systems, or other computer technology to sexually exploit children.